Spurs told to pivot away from Kevin Durant, target future star

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the few teams capable of swinging a superstar-level trade this summer. They have young players, future draft picks and the ability to absorb a sizable contract. As such, the Spurs are seen as a potential landing spot for Kevin Durant.

However, longtime NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes the Spurs should look toward younger options at the forward position. He pinpointed Trey Murphy III as a more logical addition to San Antonio's current roster.

"If I were Spurs consigliere, like, are we getting Durant? He's 37. Let's give up some of the same stuff we were going to give up for Durant, throw some more picks in it, and actually try to get Trey Murphy, who you know is hitting his mid-20s," Simmons said. "And try to get somebody who is actually more on our timeline, who is going to give us a lot of the stuff we would have wanted anyway. And I also think his value is lower than it should be because he didn't work out all last year because he didn't know if he was getting his extension or not."

Murphy would be a strong fit on the Spurs roster. His perimeter game would ensure the coaching staff can lean into a five-out spacing, or even four-out with a player in the dunker spot. 

The 24-year-old is a genuine three-level scoring forward who can also guard his yard and grab rebounds. Furthermore, he's young enough to continue improving his game in the coming years.

The Spurs have a young roster with years of internal development ahead. Victor Wembanyama will likely become a top-three player in the NBA, while Stephon Castle has shown tremendous potential. Murphy fits the team's timeline far better than Durant, who is in the final stage of his career.

So, unless San Antonio suddenly considers itself to be a contender, adding Durant would be nonsensical. Instead, Murphy would represent a genuine roster upgrade with long-term upside, which is the type of move the franchise should be making. 

As such, the Spurs would be wise to avoid the lure of trading for Durant. At this stage in the franchise's timeline and Durant's career, his addition would likely amount to fool's gold.